Bed attachment



Oct. 24, 1961 L. H. BARNHILL BED ATTACHMENT Filed March 11, 1960 INVENTOR. LEV\ H Bmaum LL.

ATTORNEYS Uted States Patent Ofiice 3,005,212 BED ATTACHMENT Levi H. Barnhill, 153 Lakota Ave., Akron, Ohio Filed Mar. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 14,300 3 Claims. (Cl. 327) This invention relates to supports or rests, and more particularly to a support extension for a bed or divan to support a persons arm or hand while sleeping.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved support extension for a bed, divan, sofa, or similar article of furniture, the extension being simple in construction, being easy to install, and being movable to any desired position on the bed or divan to which it is attached.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved support extension for a bed, divan, sofa, or similar article of furniture, the extension being relatively inexpensive to fabricate, being sturdy in construction, being easy to adjust, and providing a comfortable support means for a persons hand or arm while sleeping.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a corner portion of a bed provided with an improved support extension constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the support extension of FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 with the cushion member removed and with the frame disengaged from the bed.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a support extension according to the present invention. The support extension 11 comprises a frame 12 consisting of a generally U-shaped, outwardly extending top portion 13 formed with a pair of depending parallel leg members 14, 14, the Ushaped top portion 13 being in a plane which is at an obtuse angle to the plane defined by the parallel leg members 14, '14, as is clearly apparent from FIGURES 2 and 4. Thus, when the leg members 14, 14 are in vertical positions, the U-shaped top portion 13 of the frame 12 extends upwardly and outwardly from the top ends of the leg members 14, 14.

Designated at 15, 15 are respective flat blade members which are formed with semicircular channeled end portions 16 engageable with and receiving the lower portions of the leg members 14, 14, the channeled portions 16 being clamped to the legs in adjusted positions thereon by respective transversely extending bolts 17 extending through the lower portions of the leg members 14 and through vertical slots 18 formed in the channeled portions 16. Wing nuts 19 are provided on the outer ends of the bolts 17, so that the channeled elements '16 may be secured to the leg members 14 in desired positions of vertical adjustment on said leg members by tightening the wing nuts 19.

The leg members are formed with vertically spaced openings 17, and the bolts 17 are engaged through selected openings 17'.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the flat blade members 15 extend perpendicularly to the leg members 14, being horizontal when the leg members are disposed vertically, and being adapted to be engaged between the mattress 20 and the box spring member 21 of a bed with the leg mem bers 14, 14 disposed vertically adjacent the side edges of the members 20 and 21, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

A transverse pivot rod 22 is rigidly secured between the top end portions of the leg members 14, 14. Designated at 24 is a generally U-shaped clamping member whose side arms are formed with inwardly offset intermediate portions 23, 23 spaced so as to be received between the side arms of the generally U-shaped top portion 13 of frame 12. Respective sleeve members 25 are secured on the inwardly offset side arm portions 23, said sleeve members being formed with apertured depending pivot lugs 26 which receive and are rotatably supported on the transversely extending pivot rod 22. Respective biasing springs 27 surround the portions of the pivot rod 22 between the sleeve 25 and the top ends of the leg members 14, as shown in FIGURE 3, the ends of the springs being engaged in opposing relationship with the leg members 14 and the inwardly offset portions 23 of the clamping member '24 so as to bias the bight portion of the clamping member towards the blade elements 15, 15. The springs 27, 27 thus act to urge the bight portion of the clamping member toward the blades 15, 15, whereby to grippingly engage the marginal portion of the mattress 20 when the device is mounted on the side portion of a bed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The free ends of the side arms of the clamping member 24 are formed with the respective finger loops 28, 28, terminating in the outwardly projecting handles 29, 29 which extend transversely beneath the corner portions of the generally U-shaped top member 13, as shown in FIGURE 3. .The loops 28 and the handles 29 provide a means for grasping the outer end portions of the clamping member 24 so as to rotate the clamping member on the pivot rod 22 when it is desired to disengage the tie vice from the side marginal portion of a mattress 20.

The bight portion of the clamping member 24 is covered by a suitable cover sleeve of resilient deformable material, shown at, 31, said cover sleeve serving as a pro-.

tective means to prevent soiling or damage to the bed linens or to the top surface of the mattress 20 when the device is engaged therewith in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The cover sleeve 31 may be made of any suitable material, such as rubber, plastic, or other well known resilient deformable material having the necessary resiliency and protective characteristics.

Designated generally at 32 is a cushion member which is detachably supported on the top portion 13 of frame 12. Thus, a generally rectangular rigid board 64 is provided on the top portion 13, said board being of sufiicient size to overlie the generally U-shaped top member 13. The board 34 is provided at the outer marginal portion of its under side with a pair of spring clips 35, 35 which are lockingly engageable with the bight portion of the top member 13, said spring clips having opposing inwardly concave resilient arms which grippingly engage the bight portion of the member 13 in a manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, but which are sufiiciently yieldable to allow the board 34 to be detached from the member 13 when so desired. Flexible tabs 36 are secured to the outer marginal portions of the board 34, said tabs being provided with female snap fastener elements 37. Designated at 38 is a generally L-shaped cushion which is en gageable on the board 34 and which is provided with male snap fastener elements 39 at its outer edges lockingly engageable with the female snap fastener elements 37, so as to secure the cushion member 38 on the board 34.

The cushion member 38 is of generally triangular cross sectional shape, as shown in FIGURE 2, having an inward taper, and is provided with the inwardly projecting top arm 40, having substantially the same cross section as the main body of the cushion, the top arm 40 being adapted to extend inwardly over the mattress 20 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. The cushion member 33 may be formed of any suitable material, such as foam Patented Oct. 24, 1961 3 rubber, or the like, provided with a suitable flexible outer covering 41.

In using the device, the blade members 15, are adjusted in position so that the side marginal portion of a mattress will be receivable between said blade members and the clamping member 24. The blade members are then inserted between the mattress 20 and the boxspr-ing unit 21, the clamping member being held in a released position until the leg members 14, 14 are positioned closely adjacent the side edge of the mattress. The clamping member 24 is then released, allowing the bight portion thereof to grippingly engage the top surface of the mattress. The board 34 may then be engaged on the top portion 13 of the frame 12 and the cushion member 38 may then be mounted on the board and secured thereon by means of cooperating snap fastener elements 37, 39.

When thus mounted on a bed, the device 11 serves as a means for comfortably supporting a persons arm or hand while the person is sleeping, and prevents the persons hand or arm from becoming cramped or painfully constricted as a result of relaxationof the muscles of the persons body which normally support the persons arm or hand when the person is awake. The device may be suitably located at the side edge of the bed at a location suitable for the person using the device, and in accordance with the persons sleeping habits.

While a specific embodiment of an improved support extension for a bed has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications Within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that 'nolimitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A support extension for abed comprising a frame formed with a pair of depending parallel leg members, a pair of parallel blade members, means adjustably securing said blade members to said leg members per pendicularly thereto in positions to engage beneath respective spaced portions of a mattress adjacent one edge thereof, a 'tr'ansverse pivot rod rigidly secured between the top end portions of said leg members, a clamping member pivoted to said pivot rod and being formed to clampingly engage with the top surface of the mattress between said spaced portions so as to clamp the mattress 4 I between said clamping member and blade members, spring means urging said clamping member towards said blade members, and a cushion member mounted on said frame.

2. A support extension fora bed comprising a frame formed with a pair of depending parallel leg members and a generally U-shaped outwardly extending top portion, a pair of parallel blade members, means adjustably securing said blade members to said leg members perpendicularly thereto and in positions to engage beneath respective spaced portions of a mattress adjacent one edge thereof, a transverse pivot rod rigidly secured between the top end portions of said leg members, a clamping member pivoted to said pivot rod and being formed to clampingly engage with the top surface of the mattress above and between said spaced portions so as to clamp the mattress between said clamping member and said blade members, spring means urging said clamping member towards said blade members, and a cushion member mounted on said top portion.

3. A support extension for a bed comprising a frame formed with a pair of depending parallel leg members and a generally U-shaped outwardly extending top portion, a pair of parallel flat blade members, means adjustably securing said blade members to said leg members perpendicularlythereto in positions to engage beneath a mattress adjacent one edge thereof, a transverse pivot rod rigidly secured between the top end portions of said leg members, a generally U-shaped clamping member pivoted to said pivot rod and being provided with a bight portion having outwardly projecting ends extending over said blade members and being formed to clampingly engage with the marginal portion of the mattress so as 'to clamp the mattress between said clamping member and said blade members, spring means urging said bight portion toward said blade members, and a cushion member mounted on said top portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Posey June 23, 

